Documents:FBI press release | Criminal complaint RIVERSIDE - A federal magistrate judge on Monday denied bail for a Riverside man accused of plotting with three other men to participate in terrorist activity against the U.S. overseas.

Magistrate Judge Sheri Pym said during the brief bond hearing in U.S. District Court that she had reviewed the complaint against Arifeen David Gojali, 21, and determined he didn't qualify for bail given the circumstances of his alleged crimes.

"I do specifically find the defendant poses a serious risk of flight and a serious risk to others," Pym said. "It is therefore ordered that the defendant be detained prior to trial."

Pym remanded Gojali to the custody of the U.S. Marshal. He is being housed in the federal holding wing of the Central Detention Center in San Bernardino along with defendants Ralph Deleon, 23, of Ontario, and Miguel Alejandro Santana Vidriales, 21, of Upland.

The three were arrested Nov. 16 in Chino. A fourth defendant and the suspected ringleader, 34-year-old Sohiel Omar Kabir, formerly of Pomona, was arrested the same day in Afghanistan by the FBI and Army Special Forces. He awaits extradition to California.

Deleon, Santana and Gojali had purchased plane tickets to fly to Afghanistan and were planning to depart within a few days when they were arrested.

Federal prosecutors allege in a criminal complaint that Kabir recruited the other three defendants to join al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan to carry out terrorist acts on government facilities overseas, kill or injure members of the U.S. armed forces, and to use weapons of mass destruction outside the United States.

Kabir, an Afghanistan native who was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force in 2001 after serving less than two years, had already traveled to Afghanistan and was arranging contacts with terrorist organizations at the time of his arrest, authorities said.

Authorities launched their investigation in January after federal border patrol agents found al-Qaida propaganda in Santana's possession as he entered the U.S. from Mexico. He had a printout of "Inspire," an English language online magazine reported to be published by al-Qaida and aims to find recruits for al-Qaida inside the U.S. and Europe.

FBI agents learned during their investigation that the defendants had allegedly honed their sharpshooting skills at paintball/air soft facilities across the Inland Empire including Corona and Chino.

Gojali will next appear in court on Dec. 5 for arraignment. His attorney, John Aquilina, declined to comment following Monday's hearing.

Gojali's girlfriend, Tracy Nguyen, said she was at a loss for words.

"I don't know what to say," Nguyen said outside the courtroom following the hearing.

The petite and timid Nguyen wouldn't discuss the allegations against her boyfriend or respond when asked if she was aware of his alleged plans to embark for Afghanistan to engage in terrorist training. She did say she was the first person Gojali called after his arrest.

"He's a really good guy," was all Nguyen could manage to say before exiting the court and sprinting off as a throng of television reporters approached her.